Name: Joe Bryson
School: Incarnate Word
Position: OL
Height: 6-7
Weight: 315

Q: What goals did you set and/or accomplish in your final collegiate season?

This season, I accomplished my goal of being an All-Conference offensive lineman. In late August, I tore the meniscus in my right knee which put a big question mark on how I would be able to perform and what I’d be able to accomplish this year. I started all 10 games at right tackle, never missing a game rep or a day of practice all season and through the constant support of those around me was able to play a full season on an injured knee and gain All-Conference recognition.

Q: What would your coaches and teammates say about the type of player you are?

This season I think I proved to be a tough player, and think that my coaches and teammates would describe me as someone who is constantly striving to become the best version of myself. This was displayed in the effort I give at practice, in the film room, weight room, nutrition, and academics. I think they would describe me as someone who leads by example, is very consistent and orients his decisions around what is best for the team. My coaches and teammates would say that there is areas to my game which need improvement in order for me to be an elite player, and that I recognize those areas, and made the specific intentional effort to improve on them on a daily basis and at every practice. They would say I performed well on game days and was an impactful leader on the team who made the people around me better.

Q: When you are studying film, what are the things you focus on to improve your game?

When studying film, I am constantly critiquing the details of my movement patterns and looking for inconsistencies that must be addressed at the next practice, in terms of extracting the absolute most value out of every rep I get at practice. I am a detail oriented player who believes that an offensive lineman can only be elite if they are relentlessly fine tuning their craft and avoiding the temptation to ‘go through the motions’ during individual drills or team reps at practice in general. Having the opportunity to be around great O-lineman during my three seasons at USC, I learned that a lot of what it takes to be an elite offensive lineman comes down to repeated muscle memory and intentional reps at practice, so I’m always striving to be focused and diligent.

Q: What separates you from the other pro prospects at your position?

What separates me from the other pro prospects at my position is a number of things. First, my ability to move well at 6’7 315lbs, which I put on display this season in my pass sets, inside and outside zone runs, pulling on counter gap schemes, fitting and driving on second level defenders and knocking down defensive backs in open space on screens. Second, my attitude and work ethic which has been developed over many years of having great coaches and leaders around me (five o-line coaches, five head coaches, five head strength coaches) I’ve been lucky enough to have been surrounded by amazing men and leaders, many of which use unique methods and coaching styles which I’ve absorbed like a sponge during my whole college career, and have made me the person I am today. Additionally, I feel I have proven my true love for this game and the constant pursuit of greatness I’ve been chasing since deciding to play college football over college basketball years ago, and transforming from a 240lb tight end in high school into a current prototypical NFL offensive lineman at 6’7 315lbs. Additionally, my will and faith have been tested on three separate occasions with knee injuries, first coming in the form of an ACL reconstruction on January 2nd, 2020, then a medial meniscus root repair on September 16, 2021 then this season tearing my knee in August and performing at right tackle the whole season with the injury, then fixing that December 6th, 2023 with a meniscal scope. With that being said, I’m incredibly blessed to be where I am today and am more focused and hungrier than ever before.

Q: What is your offseason plan to train and prepare for professional opportunities?

Preparing for Pro Day in the spring, I’ll be training in the Denver area at a facility with other players pursuing professional opportunities. I’m really excited to learn and grow in the next few months.

Q: What kind of strengths and abilities will you bring to a team that will stand out both on and off the field?

On the field, I’m somebody who will get the job done. I have the ability to perform at a consistently high level and understand that elite offensive line performance is my ultimate job description. My quick twitch, sheer size and length will stand out on the field, by dominating both interior and edge defenders. I am saved by Jesus and in all my ways try to be a great man off the field. My involvement and service in the community which I’ve built a track record of over multiple years and in multiple states will continue to grow as I enter the world of professional football. A few examples include distributing food and delivering toiletry bags to homeless people in downtown Los Angeles and volunteering at multiple elementary schools in San Antonio, Texas.

Q: What is your final pitch to the NFL and any other pro leagues?

The physical attributes I’ve been blessed with are hopefully enough to get my foot in the door at the next level. Beyond that, it is my job and responsibility to prove my strength, speed and athleticism at pro day. Given the reality of my injury history and being an FCS caliber player for my final season of college ball, I recognize that I am still very much a question mark on whether or not I can succeed in the NFL. My final pitch is this: Trust me when I say I’m still just scratching the surface of my true potential as an offensive lineman. There’s no way around the fact that 3 knee surgeries in 4 years can stunt a players development. This most recent 2023 season proved that I have a lot of tread on my tires and my film displays that I can dominate lower tier D1 defensive linemen, further credited by my All-Conference recognition. I have coaches at three college programs from D2 Colorado Mesa to The University of Southern California to Incarnate Word who I can confidently say will vouch for my work ethic, dependability, and degree of high-character. If my toughness was ever under question, I’d mention how this season I competed every snap in 10 games with a torn meniscus that required a scope after season, because I knew I needed this years’ film and more importantly needed the practice reps and had to get better at football. Give this 6’7 315lb O-lineman who has overcome multiple setbacks and is more focused, hungrier and healthier than ever a shot to come put on your helmet and play ball. Taking reps at a rookie mini camp or OTA’s will be the first snaps of football I’ve played fully healthy in 10 months at that time. We’ll both find out quick if I’m good enough. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.